2.  Here is what you can expect for a wedding planned 3 months to a year or longer from today:

• If you are seeking a Wedding Officiant for a ceremony and/or rehearsal, you may email a Wedding Officiant Services Request to:  detailedweddingsandevents@gmail.com to inquire if the officiant will be available for your ceremony date. 

• After contact is made via phone or email, ​the officiant will begin services once a contract is signed and a 50% non-refundable retainer fee is paid.  The remaining balance must be paid two weeks before the ceremony  The fee is $53.50 to officiate a ceremony and $107 for the officiate to attend a rehearsal.  The cost for the officiant to officiate a ceremony and attend a rehearsal is $160.50.

• Couple will meet with the officiant four times before their ceremony, if they request to read and approve a draft of their customized love story before the ceremony day.  They will meet three times, if they want the customized love story to be a wedding day surprise or they want traditional "I Do, I Will or Repeat After Me" Vows.  Officiant will provide an initial consultation via phone to obtain pertinent information necessary for the development of their selected ceremony vows style listed below at #4.  

• Officiant will provide unlimited draft revisions as needed

• Officiant will assist with finalizing the order of ceremony, to include adding any ceremony readings, special music, other details or remembrances needed to create a wedding program for hand-off to your wedding coordinator via email

• A courtesy email or text will be sent to confirm the arrival of the Wedding Officiant on the ceremony day to the Wedding Coordinator

• Officiant will return the sign marriage license to the probate court within 15 days for Sumter County

• A courtesy email will be sent to inform the couple when the sign marriage license was returned to the court

• A photo of the couple will be uploaded to this page

• Request of the Mr. or the Mrs. to provide a Google review and submit feedback to AMM after the honeymoon

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3.  Here is what you can expect for a wedding planned 2 months or less from today:

• If you are seeking a Wedding Officiant for a ceremony only, you may email a Wedding Officiant Services Request to:  detailedweddingsandevents@gmail.com no later than two business days prior to the ceremony date to inquire if the officiant will be available. 

• Officiant will correspond with the couple via email or phone  

• Officiant will provide couple's choice of ceremony vows style listed below at #4 on the ceremony day

• A courtesy email or text will be sent to confirm the arrival of the Wedding Officiant on the ceremony day

• Officiant will perform the ceremony, after the couple's driver's license, military ID or state ID is viewed by the officiant and a contract is signed 

• An event-day team member will arrive with the officiant to obtain cell phone pictures of the ceremony only, and the free pictures will be sent via email. 

• Payment of $53.50 is required on the day of the ceremony

• Officiant will return the sign marriage license to the probate court within 15 days for Sumter County

• A courtesy email will be sent to inform the couple when the sign marriage license was returned to the court

• A "Just Married" photo of the couple will be uploaded to this page

• Request of the Mr. or the Mrs. to provide a Google review and submit feedback to AMM after the honeymoon

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4.  Ceremony Vows Styles  The officiant will need a minimum of 48 hours or longer, to prepare for your ceremony.  All ceremonies will include the Declaration of Consent and Prouncement or the Statement of Intentions and Pronouncement to be legally binding.  If desired, the couple may include personal written vows, provide their unity ceremony item or a cultural tradition item to any ceremony vows style below:

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• Baptist Traditional Ceremony

• Blended Family Ceremony (includes names & participation of bride & groom's children)

• Blended Family Ceremony (includes love story, children and sand blending unity ceremony)

• Catholic Inspired Modern Ceremony 

• Catholic Traditional Ceremony 

• Christian Ceremony 

• Christian Ceremony Script (includes marriage prayer and recognition of children)

• Christian Ceremony Script (with Cord of Three Strands unity ceremony)

• Custom Personalized Ceremony (includes details of your relationship in order to tell your love story)

• Episcopal Ceremony (includes the Lord's Prayer) 

• Intercultural Ceremony

  • Muslim & Jewish​

• Interfaith Ceremony

  • Jewish & Christian​

  • Muslim & Christian

• Jumping the Broom Ceremony (includes the standard I Do & personal vows)

• Methodist Ceremony

• Moment of Remembrance Ceremony (remembering a deceased relative during ceremony)

• Non-religious Ceremony 

• Protestant Ceremony

• Romantic Wedding Ceremony (includes details of your relationship in order to tell your love story)

• Sequel Ceremony (a larger second ceremony  occurring after a small first)

• Shortest Ceremony (be married in 2 minutes or less)

• Sign & Go Ceremony (this is a Marriage License Signing Ceremony at the altar)

• Simple Ceremony (includes the standard I Do vows & silent rings exchange)

• Simple Ceremony (includes the standard I Do vows & with this ring, I marry you statements during rings exchange)

• Simple Vows Renewal (includes recognition of children)

• Traditional Ceremony 

• Vows Renewal Ceremony 

 

 

5.  Fees

• A non-refundable 50% retainer is required to activate a contract.  The remaining balance must be paid two weeks prior to the ceremony date or on the day of the ceremony if the ceremony date is within two months or less.

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• The total cost to perform a wedding ceremony or vows renewal ceremony is $53.50 with tax.  The cost for the officiant to attend a one-hour rehearsal one day or more before the wedding ceremony is an additional $107 with tax for a total of $160.50.​

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• Any wedding ceremony that starts 30 minutes late or more after the ceremony's planned start time, will incur a "late-start" fee of  $53.50 and it is payable before the officiant signs the marriage license.  Also, couples can also expect to pay an additional “convenience fee” of $53.50 if they book a wedding on any of the following holidays: 

• New Year’s Eve

• New Year’s Day

• Easter

• Memorial Day

• July 4th

• Labor Day

• Thanksgiving Day

• Christmas Eve

• Christmas Day

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6.  Premarital Course

For couple's desiring a six-hour SC Premarital Course together that is taught online with a Relationship Expert (Psychologist) and a Minister, at a cost of $24, you can enroll in the SC Premarital Preparation Online Video Course.  The course must be completed within one year of purchasing a marriage license.  As of May 25, 2022, a couple can submit a copy of their Premarital Certificate and the SC Department of Revenue Premarital Preparation Course Tax Credit Form (TC32) to determine if they can claim a tax credit in the amount of $25 for each individual or $50 jointly.  Read about it here:  SC Newlywed Tax Tip   For the SC Premarital Preparation Online Video Course, click the course link here:  Course Link

 

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7.  Per Diem Rates Apply if the Wedding Officiant is Needed to Work More Than 50 Miles Away
If the officiant must reside overnight because the travel distance is greater than 50 miles (a one-hour drive one-way), the client must pay the officiant's per diem as follows:

• Meals (covers breakfast, lunch, dinner and any incidental snacks)

• Lodging (covers the cost of the hotel or other accommodation) and

• Incidentals (covers small miscellaneous expenses like tips, transportation to and from the airport, parking fees or other minor costs).

 
To determine the per diem rate, find the distance from Sumter to the city of the venue using Google.  If the distance is 50 miles or more, use the GSA Per Diem Rates Link below to search, by using your state, city or zipcode to view the Per Diem Rates listed, in order to determine the cost for the officiant's lodging, meals and incidentals.  

GSA Per Diem Rates Link

IRS Announces 2023-2024 Per Diem Rates For Taxpayers Who Travel For Business (forbes.com)   

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8.  SC Marriage License Information

When purchasing your marriage license, be sure to inquire someone at the probate court, in case a policy change occurred and you didn't hear about it, if the marriage license will expire any time before your ceremony date?  However, the information at the SC Marriage License Information Link states that a SC marriage license does not expire.  Also noteworthy, is that witnesses are not required for SC wedding ceremonies, nor is a blood test required of the couple. For more info, read the following link:   SC Marriage License Information Link  

 

For Sumter County marriages, you can purchase additional certified copier machine copies of your marriage license after it has been returned to the probate court by your wedding offician within 15 days of the ceremony.  The cost is $5 per certified copy, as of the summer of 2023, and the price may increase without notice.  Nonetheless, additional certified copies of  a marriage license can be printed while you wait.  

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9.  Marriage & Renewal of Vows Certificate Information

Marriage certificates are not available at the probate court, but you can purchase a ceremonial marriage certificate to frame, display or pass on as a memorable keepsake at a cost of $7, $9 or $11.  Orders take as long as two weeks or earleir.  Shipping methods and charges are as follows: 

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• Media Mail (7-14 Business Days) (No Tracking)$0.00

• First Class Mail (3-5 Business Days + Tracking)$5.50

• Priority Mail (2-5 Business Days + Tracking)$9.50

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All orders have a one-business-day processing time. AMM ship orders Monday through Friday, not including holidays. Delivery times are measured from the day your order ships and sees movement in the postal system, not the day you place your order. For example, if an Express order is placed on Friday, it will ship Monday, and likely be delivered Tuesday or Wednesday.

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Please note that a marriage certificate is for commemorative purposes, and is not a substitute for a government issued marriage license.  Please review marriage certificate selections below:  All items listed are avaialable for free shipping.  Tax is not required.  If interested in any product, add the marriage certificate and/or frame cost to your total cost for the Wedding Officiant fee ($53.50) and/or the Wedding Rehearsal fee ($107).  Personalized marriage & vows certificates can be viewed on a PC only, and they cost $11 each and include personalized customization fonts.  Renewal of Vows Certificates are $9 each.

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10. How to Wear Your Engagement Ring During the Wedding Ceremony Engagement Ring Link 

11.  Ideas for Free or Affordable Places to Marry Ceremony Venue Ideas Link 

 

12.  Cancellation & Change Policy
If a couple does not remit payment as specified, the wedding officiant has the right to cancel a contract without further obligation to refund the retainer or to perform services.  However, the retainer can be applied to another date and time, as long as the couple notify the officiant and request a change in writing (email) no later than 14 days prior to the new ceremony date and/or time. 
 
In the unlikely event that the wedding officiant is unable to officiate a ceremony for unforeseen circumstance (i.e. hospitalization, automobile accident, transportation breakdown or force majeure (due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond anyone's control),, the officiant shall make a reasonable attempt to provide a replacement wedding officiant qualified to perform weddings in the state of South Carolina at no additional cost to the couple, and the couple shall be refunded all  monies paid for the services within 14 days. 
 
If the couple needs to cancel a ceremony due to an unforeseen relationship conflict or force majeure (due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond anyone's control), the couple shall be refunded 50% of fees paid to the wedding officiant for all ceremony script work and research completed.  
 

 

13.  Qualifications, Contact Button and the Just Marrried Gallery
The officiant is a certified professional and is recognized as a legally ordained wedding officiant of American Marriage Ministries and is also fully qualified to officiate weddings in the state of South Carolina as of July 2, 2022.  The officiant is also experienced in public speaking, and she has served as a radio broadcaster in Warrenton, VA, Nashville, TN and Florence, SC.